Does the thirst ever go?

[BeadieJay]

I was diagnosed 7 weeks ago, so am still working on getting my bsl down.

The thing is, I'm always thirsty, and I thought things would have improved by now.

Does the thirst ever go? And needing the loo all the time?

[Belinda]

YEP the thirst should go. When bs are high one of the symptoms is thirst. So once you get it all together you will see improvements. Having to pee is another effect of high blood sugar. I usually can tell what my bs runs by the number of times I go pee in a day.

[BeadieJay]

thanks Belinda, it's good to know that it will go (hopefully LOL)

:)

[MarkMunday]

BeadieJay,

Considering this layman's explanation may help you understand why you get thirsty.

Sugar is a crystal. So, if there is too much of it, the only way your body can get rid of it is in solution. And if your blood sugar is too high, the surplus sugar has to find it's way into your urine.

It does this through your kidneys. When the "renal threshold" is breached, sugar "spills over" into the urine and your bladder fills up. Obviously, water has to be taken from elswhere for this to happen.

The result is that you dehydrate and become thirsty. Your thirst is therfore the consequence your blood sugar being above your renal threshold. When my blood sugar goes over 10mmol/l (180mg/dl), I become aware of my bladder filling up. So I make sure that it stays below this level, especially at night.

You will soon figure out these relationships and how to manage your blood sugar levels. The best way to learn is to do lots of testing.

Cheers,

Mark

[am1977]

I thought the thirst (and running to the bathroom) would go away when my numbers were in the normal range, but I usually still feel thirsty. It feels like I am always drinking something. Maybe it's just me.

[mg_2204]

I drink a lot too but I was always like that. But I can appreciate the difference though; before being diagnosed it was an unquenchable thirst. Nothing would rid me of it. We went to the beach yesterday and I drank at least 4 bottles of water and had 2 diet sodas. Quite normal for me.

Marie
:)

[mike9876]

Somepeople have a low renal threshhold, mine I reckon was around 6 or 108 and probably higher now. When I was first tested for diabetes the doctor gave me strips to test for glucose in my urine. The results were always showing high levels of glucose in my urine but my blood glocose was between 5 or 90 and 7 or 126. I don't get the thrist now unless I go above 14 or 252, maybe my body has got used to the higher levels of blood glucose.

[BeadieJay]

thanks for all your replies, and Mark thank you for your explanation - it makes a lot of sense, and helps to put things in perspective.

My 14 day average on my self-monitoring meter is now 7.9 (142) so it's still quite high.

I guess I'm questioning everything that's happening to my body - not sure if it's "normal" or something to do with the diabetes.

Marie - I don't think I've ever had unquenchable thirst, so maybe my thirst is normal after all?!

[mg_2204]

I may be wrong to think so but... when the thirst is a problem and BG is high, the thirst is unquenchable. I know mine was. It was maddening.

[johnnylol]

i remember the thirst...i would wake up and i felt like i spent a day in a desert..and even if i drank 3 cups of water i still felt as thirsty..though since i keep my bs well controlled the thirst has eased considerably...